Residents missing after shophouses collapsed amid Denpasar flood

Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA) - Four residents were missing after a flood caused the collapse of shophouses along the Badung River in West Denpasar, Bali, on Wednesday, according to the local police.

West Denpasar Police Chief Commissioner Laksmi Trisnadewi informed that earlier reports indicated that six individuals were missing from the two collapsed shophouses located on Sulawesi Road in West Denpasar.

"Our first report indicated that six people were missing. However, from the collapsed shophouses, two people were found alive at a hospital, while the four others remain missing," Trisnadewi stated at the accident site.

"The four missing persons were from Taslim and New Centrum shophouses," she added.

According to the local police chief, the missing person report was received by her side at 6 a.m. shortly after the collapse. However, the flood near the shophouses prevented her team from accessing the accident site until much later.

Trisnadewi stated that the shophouses collapsed as their foundations were eroded by the overflowing Badung River behind the building, after the city experienced heavy rain for a whole day. She is yet to ascertain the financial losses due to the collapse.

What remained of the two collapsed shophouses, previously operating as textile material stores, were bolts of fabric scattered among the debris. Some of these were swept away by the floodwaters.

In addition to the two collapsed buildings, nine adjacent shophouses were also damaged by the overflowing river. Several of the remaining structures were visibly leaning toward the riverbank, raising concerns about further collapse.

Meanwhile, a shophouse owner on Sulawesi Road, Harman Asegaf, said he felt the back wall of his building, facing the overflowing river, begin to shake at around 5:15 a.m. local time. About 15 minutes later, the wall gave way and collapsed into the river.

"Maybe the floodgate was opened too late, causing the building to collapse," Asegaf said.

Apart from Denpasar, heavy rainfall that caused flooding was also reported to occur in almost all regions on the island of Bali. Indonesia's meteorology agency warned that the rain is expected to continue throughout the week.

Two people were found dead after being swept away by the flood in Jembrana District, while the road connecting Denpasar to the port town of Gilimanuk in the same district was cut off by the flood.